


Jedi week. Prompt - Forever, Rain.

by Munnin



Category: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Genre: Gen, slight canon departure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2019-01-10 14:10:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12300753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Munnin/pseuds/Munnin
Summary: Anakin's fate is left uncertain by the Council's decision but luck and the rain gives him one last chance to be a kid.





	Jedi week. Prompt - Forever, Rain.

It frightened him, the way the council looked at him. The way they judged him. Anakin was cold and tired and a very, very long way from anything he’d ever known. And now they were saying he wasn’t to be a Jedi. That he wasn’t good enough. That he was too old. 

Would they send him back? Would Watto even take him back?

He swallowed hard and bowed as they dismissed him, backing out of the room as calmly as he could. He wanted to run. Run right back to his mother. Or Padma. Or anyone he knew. 

But he was in a place he didn’t know. In city he didn’t know. On a world he didn’t know. 

And he was all alone.

The doors swished closed behind him. Leaving him in the big empty corridor.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had stayed in the chamber. Arguing for him maybe. Was he meant to stay there? Just stay in the echoing hall and wait for someone to tell him what to do? He didn’t know. No-one told him what to do. And he didn’t know the rules here. 

And there seemed to be so many rules. Or why else would they judge him like that? He didn’t know their rules but he’d learn, if someone would just teach him.

He turned towards a clattering coming from the end of the corridor. A group of children his own age, all dressed in Jedi robes. They were laughing and calling to each other, throwing a ball around. 

Anakin bit his lip, suddenly homesick for his friends as well as his mother. Kitster, Wald, Amee, Seek. He’d never see them again. He wished he’d told them what was happening, where he’d gone. His mother would tell Kitster, and he’d tell the others. But he could have left them a message or something.

He was so deep in his thoughts he didn’t see the ball flying towards him till it was too late to catch it. He threw his hands up in from of his face but somehow the ball didn’t hit him. It just flew off the other way and bounced against the wall. 

A green skinned girl with huge black eyes and long head tentacles came running over, laughing. “Nice block! That was awesome! I’m sorry we nearly hit you. It’s my fault really. Do you want to come play with us?” 

It came out in such a stream of words Anakin didn’t have time to wonder what world she was from. He’d never seen someone like her before. He bit his lip and looked over his shoulder. “I should wait.”

“The council? Oh, they take forever and ever to decide anything! And even when they do, it usually has nothing to do with us.” She grinned at him, her teeth sharp and bright. “Come on! It’s raining really heavily and the paths on the roof become super slippery. If you run fast enough, you can slide half the length of the garden.” She took his hand, her skin cool and damp. “Come on.”

He glanced around again, only to see Qui-Gon stalking out of the chambers in a fury, Obi-Wan at his heel. “I can’t. I’m sorry. I’ve gotta go.” He turned his back of her and trotted over to Qui-Gon.

The Jedi Master was in such a fury, he nearly bowled Anakin over, stopping just short of stepping on the boy. “Anakin.” 

Anakin had never heard Qui-Gon sound so angry. At him? Because of how he failed their tests? He bit his lip again, tasting blood. “Master Qui-Gon, sir? I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t good enough-”

Qui-Gon caught himself and sighed, kneeling down to look Anakin in the eye. “You have nothing to be sorry for, Anakin. This is- not your fault. If anything, it’s mine.”

Obi-Wan hung back, his expression dark and upset. 

“Master Qui-Gon?” The little girl came creeping over, her tentacles swishing worriedly. “Can he come play with us on the roof?” 

Obi-Wan snorted softly. “It’s raining, isn’t it, Erre?”

The girl managed to look ashamed as she nodded.

Obi-Wan laughed, a tired sound after the stress of the day. “I use to go sliding when I was a youngling. Just be careful of the path on the east side. The Guroot brushes have very, very sharp thorns. Master Qui-Gon had to pick them out of my back one by one when I got my slide wrong.”

The little girl covered her mouth, giggling brightly.

Anakin looked up at Qui-Gon. “Master Qui-Gon, sir? Can I go play with them? I’ve… I’ve never seen rain before. I’ve heard of it but-”

Qui-Gon sighed again and Obi-Wan could practically hear his master’s heart break. “Of course, Anakin. Of course, you can play in the rain. Erre, I need Anakin down on the landing platform in one hour. Do you think you can see to that? I’m relying on you.”

The girl grinned brightly and nodded so vigorously her tentacles danced around her head. She grabbed Anakin’s hand and pulled him away towards the roof.

“Ah, to be young again.” Qui-Gon lamented, feeling his years as he got up from his knees. 

“That was kind of you, Master. I know we’re in a hurry.” Obi-Wan came to stand next to him, his earlier hurt forgotten. 

“It’ll take the Queen at least two hours to dress, anyway.” Qui-Gon quipped with a small smile. “Come.” He clasped Obi-Wan’s arm. “Let’s get something to eat. I owe you a decent meal at least before I drag you off on another adventure.”

For all the harsh words said in the council chamber, Obi-Wan felt the love and respect in his master’s voice. “I have missed Dex’s Jawa Juice.” He chuckled as Qui-Gon pulled just the face he expected him to.


End file.
